MARCH 21, 2012

Gorgeous Peruvian Paso Gelding seeks forever home

Diablo de Oro (aka Regalo) is a knock down gorgeous palomino Peruvian Paso gelding looking for his forever home. Regalo is a registered Peruvian Paso gelding. He is 16 years old. Regalo’s registered name is Diablo de Oro, Registration No. 13457. A story of Regalo, “Gift Horse,” was featured in Equus Magazine. Regalo’s sire is Imagen de Trigo and his dam is Estrella Brillante de Coaba. Among his many illustrious family members include Mantequila and AEV Regional who were Regalo’s grandsires. His breeder was Roger Olsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah. Regalo was born in 1996, so is 16 years old.

Wendy Haas of Wyoming, Regalo’s foster mother remembers that it was dark and threatening snow on an early November night when a pickup with horse trailer pulled up outside the gate to her horse pasture. Wendy had agreed to shelter a horse that friends had rescued from the high country of the Medicine Bow National Forest just in the nick of time. They had already had a few snowstorms in the preceding weeks, and the storm moving in that night would likely snow the high country shut for the winter. The story of how this horse came to be rescued is typical of the wonderful network of willing helpers that exist among horse lovers and animal lovers in general. In the Equus story Wendy says when we put him in the pens we saw: a narrow-built, fine-boned, dappled palomino with flowing white mane and tail and high-set arching neck.

Once he was rescued, Wendy learned the true story of Regalo. She learned he was a registered Peruvian Paso gelding and that his former “guardian” had left him in the mountains when Regalo would not move fast enough over the arduous mountain range as bad weather set in. Regalo most likely had a history of severe treatment that had left him nervous and frightened sometimes. Wendy and her husband with help set out to prove Regalo safe under saddle and he was. This horse is trained under saddle, but still has some issues with nervousness.

As far as gaiting goes, Regalo is very gaited, very smooth and rather fast. In fact, getting him to slow down and just walk when under saddle has been one of the things people have worked on with him (brings back memories of Conquistador who prefers the Sobreandando, the fastest gait of the Peruvian over all others, but has learned to slow down).

If you might be interested in adopting this beautiful Peruvian gelding, please contact Wendy Haas: haasjago@union-tel.com.

MARCH 21, 2012

Tummy aches

A tummy ache is never fun for people, but it can be life threatening for your pet.

“It's not uncommon for most animals to have upset stomachs and vomit from time to time, but there's usually a simple reason,” says Dr. Deb Zoran, associate professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences.

Vomiting may be caused by a hairball in the stomach or small intestine or by other foreign material, such as plants, rocks or bones. Diet could also be a cause.

"If a dog or cat has had a change of diet or if it has eaten spoiled food, it can result in nausea or vomiting," adds Zoran. "Just like when humans get food poisoning, the symptoms usually go away within 24 hours. The digestive tract is cleared and whatever was causing the problem is gone. However, if the animal has repeated vomiting, won't eat, or the symptoms continue for more than 24 hours, the animal needs to see a veterinarian immediately."

Zoran says frequent pet vomiting can be a difficult problem to pinpoint.

"The causes are numerous - food allergies, infection or inflammation in the intestinal tract, foreign objects that obstruct the bowel, ulcers, liver or kidney failure, diabetes, cancer - the list can go on and on," says Zoran.

If the animal has been vomiting for more than 24 hours, the most serious problems are dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. The animal has lost body fluids and they need to be replaced right away, then the source of the problem can be examined.

X-rays can often detect the source of the vomiting, and as with humans, barium liquid can be administered to the pet to outline the digestive tract. Other tests that may be necessary include ultrasound, blood work, and an endoscopic examination to determine the problem.

"One key question is, does the cause of the vomiting come from inside the G.I.
(gastrointestinal) tract or is it hidden elsewhere in the animal?" Zoran adds. "If the problem is not in the G.I. tract, it can be harder to detect."

If the pet owner detects blood in any food the animal has vomited, that should be a warning sign that something is not right.

"Unfortunately, it may not look like blood because the stomach acids will digest any blood present and the blood may look something like coffee grounds. The best answer is, if you don't think it looks like food, the animal needs medical attention as soon as possible," says Zoran.

Other signs that should alarm pet owners: if the animal vomits every time it eats, vomits multiple times per day, or if the animal won't eat at all and appears to be weak and depressed.

"All of these are warning signs that something serious is wrong and the pet needs medical help immediately," says Zoran.

Frequent or persistent vomiting in any animal is not normal. If the animal has been vomiting excessively, it's essential that it sees a veterinarian.

Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed at http://vetmed.tamu.edu/pet-talk.

Pet Rescue
of the Week

Chloe

(3 year old female)

Chloe is a very quiet and reserved girl. She will be a lovely companion in a quiet household with no young children. She doesn't seek attention on her own but don't let that fool you; she loves a good tummy rub and will purr like crazy! Chloe is believed to have asthma and will probably require regular veterinary check-ups. She doesn't ask for much though, just love and some cozy beds to lounge on. You can meet Chloe by calling 480-488-9890. Adoption fee $35.